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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28810749">The Thing With Feathers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tshjortile/pseuds/tshjortile'>tshjortile</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s04e05, F/M, M/M, Missing Scene, Multi, Polyamory, Rogelio is a soft lizard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:42:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,052</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28810749</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tshjortile/pseuds/tshjortile</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>They’re all exhausted, and the fact that they could have died sits in Rogelio’s stomach like a layer of lead as the acid burns sting where they got through his scales.<br/>Kyle shifts in his sleep, Lonnie’s jacket under his foot sliding off. When his bandaged leg meets the hard surface of his makeshift cot, he winces audibly. Lonnie’s muttering stops, and Rogelio sees her shoot a worried glance through the rearview mirror. </p>
</blockquote>After Rogelio's declaration of his feelings in the transport cargo, they go back to the Fright Zone.<br/>A missing scene set in the aftermath of S4E5.
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kyle &amp; Lonnie &amp; Rogelio (She-ra), Kyle/Lonnie/Rogelio (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Thing With Feathers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have this very specific headcanon that Rogelio declared his love after Kyle, Lonnie and he escaped the acid storm, and I needed to write this missing scene to give myself a little peace of mind. </p><p>A shoutout goes to @<a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/FluffKills/pseuds/FluffKills">FluffKills</a> because talking to her about Horde cadet headcanons brought this oneshot on.</p><p>The title stems from Emily Dickinson's poem <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42889/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-314">"'Hope' is the thing with feathers".</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The way back to the Fright Zone is quiet, only interrupted by Lonnie muttering about how the <em>fuck</em> they are going to explain the missing shielding to Catra through the small window connecting the cargo space to the driver’s cabin. She’s going to be so <em>mad</em>, but Rogelio cannot bring himself to care.</p><p>They’re all exhausted, and the fact that they could have died sits in Rogelio’s stomach like a layer of lead as the acid burns sting where they got through his scales.</p><p>Kyle shifts in his sleep, Lonnie’s jacket under his foot sliding off. When his bandaged leg meets the hard surface of his makeshift cot, he winces audibly. Lonnie’s muttering stops, and Rogelio sees her shoot a worried glance through the rearview mirror. He shoots her a look and goes for a quiet gurgle of reassurance. Then he carefully picks up the jacket with his claws (he’s ripped too many already), folds it again, and moves it back to where it was.</p><p>The leaden lining of his stomach feels a little less heavy when his friend’s features soften. He stretches through the small window connecting Lonnie to them to place a clawed hand on her shoulder with a low noise of comfort. She hisses when he brushes one of the acid burns, but leans into the touch despite of it.</p><p>When their eyes meet through the mirror, she flashes him a tired smile. “We’re almost home,” she promises, a warm look in her green eyes that’s reserved for him and Kyle, and Rogelio feels something within himself flutter awake with warmth.</p><p> </p><p>When they get back, they are met by Force Captain Scorpia instead of Catra, which is a relief. Lonnie takes over the short mission briefing as Rogelio escorts Kyle to medbay, which he is thankful for. As Scorpia didn’t grow up with Lizardfolk in her squad (did she even have a squad?), she has a hard time distinguishing the various noises that make his language. She tries, at least, which is more than most Force Captains.</p><p>(In the weird portal-reality, he dreamed he was a Force Captain, and how things were different. Everybody understood his snarls, and Catra and Adora were still there and happy. What a weird dream.)</p><p>He regroups with his squad after the briefing – which means he joins Lonnie once Kyle is settled and cared for. “Rest and regroup,” Lonnie tells him their next order when they meet up in the locker room. There’s relief in her face when she strips off her ruined uniform and heads for the showers. If his eyes linger a moment too long on her shoulders, trail down her backside, she doesn’t comment on it. Rogelio bites back a noise of disappointment; the fluttering warm thing in his stomach stills. Maybe she’s too tired. (He doesn’t dare think: maybe his confession was in vain.)</p><p>They shower next to each other like they have done for as long as Rogelio can remember. It’s quick and efficient and leaves the Lizardfolk only a little cold and numb and slow, not like when he was a kid and couldn’t move when cold water hit him. Lonnie <em>still</em> makes a point of rubbing his back dry for him. He ravels in the tingling sensation it leaves and the warm pool in his stomach.</p><p>There are acid burns all over her back and shoulders that must hurt, but Lonnie has never been one to whine about injuries. The sigh of relief she lets out when he produces the ointment he swiped when nobody was looking in the infirmary tells it all. She leans into the touch when he carefully applies it to the biggest burn on her shoulder makes his heart soar.</p><p> </p><p>It doesn’t take long and they are bundled up in their respective cots in the barracks. Rogelio hears Lonnie heave a heavy sigh as she shifts to accommodate her hurt shoulders. There’s the noise of a blanket being scrunched up, light socked footsteps on the cold concrete. Rogelio doesn’t jump when Lonnie nudges into his side to make him uncurl. He shifts, uncurling under the blanket that always has been too small for him. He curls his tail over his legs but it doesn’t feel comfortable.</p><p>He huffs in surprise when he feels Lonnie’s hand on his tail, heaving it over her waist. She settles her arm over it as if to keep it there. “It’s okay,” she whispers and stifles a yawn. She shifts one last time, moves her arm to wrap around the bodypart closest to her. (It’s his chest. Rogelio lets out a quiet huff when she shifts as close as humanly possible.)</p><p>He listens to her steady breath, waiting for it to lull him to sleep. Slowly, the tension of the day seeps out of his limbs. He relaxes into the comfort of knowing they are safe for now, that they will heal. (He ignores the pang that his feelings are not mutual. He’s okay with being friends, he repeats the mantra that has been accompanying him over the last few years.)</p><p>It’s quiet for so long that he must be the last one awake when Lonnie speaks quietly. “Did you,” she pauses, a hint of insecurity in her voice. “… mean it?”</p><p>Rogelio makes an inquisitive gurgle, glad for the cover of darkness that hides his blushing scales from her gaze.</p><p>He feels Lonnie huff against the scales of his arm. “You know what I mean,” she admonishes, and yes, well, she’s right. Rogelio grunts, giving away that she’s got him.</p><p>Her voice grows cautious. “Back in the truck, after we went and got Kyle … Did you mean it? What you said?”</p><p>Rogelio could deny it all right in this moment, not put himself out there, and live on hopelessly in love with his two best friends. It could be okay.</p><p>There it is again, the feeling of warmth fluttering in his guts, and he knows he just <em>can’t</em>, not anymore, not now that it’s out there. They could’ve died and he <em>wants.</em></p><p>He takes a deep breath, and gives a very, very small affirmative in the back of his throat, grabbing Lonnie’s hand and squeezing carefully.</p><p>The thing with feathers, warm and soft, soars when Lonnie squeezes back just as softly, a “me too” whispered against his scales.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>What can I say? I have a soft spot for Rogelio.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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